Et cetera : Tucker, the False Map Turtle

Aaron Askelson, Naturalist

 

We have a new addition to our small Nature Center animal family. Tucker, as he was named by his previous owner, is a False Map turtle (Graotemys pseudogeographica). Tucker comes to us from Tipton and has been an educational animal in the Tipton school district for the past 15 years. We would like to thank Jessica Bovey of Stanwood for the donation of this wonderful animal.

 

False Map turtles are sometimes referred to as sawback turtles. This is because they have a prominent ridge, or keel, along the top of their shell. They are commonly referred to as Map turtles because their shell appears to look like the contour lines of a topographical map. The shell of a turtle has two parts. The top part is referred to as the carapace and the underneath portion is the plastron. A False Map turtle possesses a carapace that is an olive green color and plastron that is a light-yellow color. The carapace is also serrated in the back.

 

A False Map also has a bright yellow crescent behind each eye. There are about a dozen different kinds of Map turtles. Female False Map turtles tend to be larger than their male counter parts. One can also determine the sex of an aquatic turtle by looking at the tail. The male’s vent will be closer to the edge of the carapace while the females will be on the inside edge of the carapace. The male’s tail will be longer and thicker than the females as well. False Map turtles use body language and touch to communicate. Male turtles will use their long fore claws to vibrate the water near a potential mate’s eyes or cheeks as a way to initiate courtship. I have witnessed this behavior with another turtle at The Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque.

 

Their nesting spots are bank burrows and old muskrat dens. For a turtle, the False Map is known to be a skilled climber and are adept at climbing slippery logs to reach better spots for basking. Basking in the sun is important for turtles so they can warm themselves, and it allows their shell to dry, which is important to maintain the health of their shell. They often share basking spots with Red-eared Sliders and Painted turtles.

 

Even though they are one of the more social turtle species, they are considered extremely shy, rarely seen in the wild, and are mainly loners. But don’t get me wrong, turtles often use each other to help look out for danger so they can quickly slide into the water to escape capture. Since, the False Map is considered one of the shyest turtles, it is probably the first to go into the water. False Map turtles are found in the eastern part of the state (along the Mississippi River corridor), the western part (along the Missouri River Corridor), up through the Cedar Valley area, and along portions of the lower Des Moines River. They prefer larger streams, but are sometimes found in ponds and lakes nearby. They prefer slow moving water, but are talented enough swimmers to navigate large, deep bodies of water.